Fastener



Patented July 11, 17950 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE FASTENER Lawrence E. Carson, Alhambra, Calif. Application September 23, 1946, Serial No. 698,625

15 Claims. (Cl. 85-5) This invention relates to fasteners adapted to be quickly and easily applied and released; and although, as shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein, the fastener is particularly adapted and designed to be used for temporarily securing parts together, it may also be used as a permanent fastener, or as an anchor or the like to which something else may be attached.

The present application is a continuation in part of my former application, now abandoned, Serial No. 566,413, filed December 4, 1944, which has now been superseded by my co-pending application Ser. No. 792,787, filed December 19, 1947.

The general object of the invention is to provide a fastener of the type indicated, of extreme simplicity and high effectiveness, coupled with ease and simplicity of manipulation and low manufacturing cost. The means by which this general object is attained, together with other characteristic features and advantages of my invention will be best understood from the following description of certain typical forms which my fastener can take. These are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view and Fig. 2 a side view, both partly in section, of one preferred form of my invention, showing it in its released position as used for securing two sheets or plates together;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showing the fastener in its applied position;

Figs. 5 and 6 similarly show a modified form of my fastener in its released position; and

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the applied position of this modied form.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, the form of fastener there shown is composed fundamentally of three parts: an expansive anchor I0, a base II and a camming member I2. Anchor member Ii) is made in a general U-formation, of resilient wire or other suitable material, and preferably pre-stressed to take normally the collapsed position shown best in Fig. 1. In preferred detail, anchor member I0 has two generally parallel legs I4 which extend from head portion I5 and carry at or near their ends lateral anchoring projections I1. These anchoring projections may take various forms, but are shown as simple outward and upward bends of the leg ends. They are sufficiently small that with anchor I0 in its normal collapsed position they may be readily passed into or through the opening or openings I8 in one or more sheets or plates I9 which the fastener is designed to secure together or to which the fastener is to be secured.

Base II is formed of a resilient material, preferably metal pre-stressed like a spring washer to take normally the sectionally curved configuration shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When resiliently compressed in thickness, (Figs. 3 and 4) this base becomes substantially flat in configuration. It can, but need not, be circular in plan, and is pierced with an opening 22 through which the two legs of the anchor pass. The base and anchor may be assembled by forcing anchors Il through opening 22, the anchors then preventing those parts from accidental disassembly.

Camming member I2 in the form illustrated comprises two sections, the cam proper 25, yand the handle section 26. The cam proper is generally in the form of a flat disk bounded by the substantially circular camming edge 29. An aperture 30 eccentrically placed in the disk receives the head portion I5 of anchor. I 0. The part of the circular body which is furthest removed from aperture 3i! is thickened, as illustrated at 3|. That part of camming edge 29 with smallest eccentric radius is preferably beveled to form the blade 32 which ts between the upper ends of the two legs I4 where they separate to form head I5. This maintains the plane of cam 25 parallel to the axis of anchor I0, facilitating manipulation of the device. A generally radial groove or notch 33 can be formed in the surface 32 to act as a detent, receiving the anchor leg and tending to prevent relative rotation of cam I2 and anchor Iii, and to maintain the device inA rits open position (Figs. 1 and 2).

The edge 32 gradually widens along the circumference of the cam, leadingsmoothly into the relatively thick section 3l. As the cam is rotated upon anchor head I5 by manipulation of handle 26 from the position of Figs. 1 and 2 to that of Figs. 3 and 4, the cam directly performs two distinct functions. The beveled portion 32 of the cam edge 29 enters between the contracted legs I4 and, as the cam is swung further around, the thicker part 3! of the camming member Wedges the legs apart to the posi-- tion shown in Fig. 3. The legs are then pressed against the periphery of hole I3 in plates I9. At the same time the outer cam edge 29, riding on the outer face of base II (the upper face in the drawings), applies tension to the legs I4 tending to pull them outward through aperture 22.

face 3l, so placed as to receive the anchor leg when in the clamping position (Figs. 3 and 4).

The clamp can be released by simple rotation of cam member l2 into its released position, when anchor Ill can readily be Withdrawn.A

The resilience of base fastener being applied tightly to plate thicknesses of a considerable variation. However, that resilient function may be dispensed with, base Ii b eing'gused simply as a fiat washer or eliminated entirely.l

Figs. 5 to 8 show a second form of my fastener in which thebase I l of Figs. 1 to 4 is eliminated. In thisfmodiiication" the 'entire fastener consists of onlytwo pieces, thei anchor member di) and camigmember 42. The general structure and mode of operation of this formis similar to that already described, but when the cam is moved to clampingv position (Figsn'l and 8)the cam edge 49 comes directly in contact with the outer rim of the hole E8 in which the fastener is being secured. rIheclamping pressure is thus applied by the cam upon upper plate 13 directly instead of through. spring base Il.

In order to provide satisfactory spring action, for'example to take up manufacturing tolerances bothin the fastener and in the parts which it is designed to t, I prefer to form head 45 of anchor member' lf3 Aas illustrated in Figs.Y 5 to 8 with rather widely spaced flat-bendsd which provide additional flexibility and-resilience in the head. This'is particularly desirable in the present form which omits the spring base, but it can be used also with the form vshown in Figs; 1 to 4. With this head formation the beveled portion 52 of the cam edge preferably; penetrates relatively` far between legs dit, even in release position (Figs. 5 andv 6).- The legs are formed witha tapered opening. betweentheir upper ends to receive the cam edge. Thecam member 42 is thus held in proper relation to anchor member'd when theI fastener is released andalso when it is completely removed from-the work. Also rthe head 125 of the anchor can be formed with a central upward deviation as shown at 41, tending to prevent 4thecam from ybecoming displaced :to the side. Except as described, the structure and functions of the parts'of Figs. 5 to 8 are the same as have been described for Figs. 1 to 4.

It will be noted that although my fasteners are made very simple, the last described form having only two parts, they nevertheless perform all the functions .normally associated -with fasteners of this general type. only because the parts are so contrived that each performs several functions. Thus the cam memoer acts to separate the legs of the anchor, to draw the anchor upward against the lower plate vand to press down upon the upper plate either directly or through fiat spring base Il; and the anchor memberfprovidest-he necessary resiliency as well as performing the usual function of gripping the work.

For. someruses, ther anchoring.,projections;` Il

This is possible L I-l provides for Lthe on the legs are not necessary and may be omitted either in eect or completely. In some situations the simple frictional engagement of the forcibly spread legs with the Wall of a hole is sufficient to hold the applied fastener in place.

It will be understood that this invention is directed primarily to novel operating means for a fastener, and I have made no attempt to describe all the various forms which the invention can take, and particularly.'A the various forms of theanchoring elements themselves by which the fastener can be adapted to various specific applications. I do not intend this fact, nor the particular illustrative forms of my device which I have described, to limit the scope of my invention:

I claim.;-

1.v A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member with essentially parallel legs adapted to be inserted in an opening, and an anchor'. moving -cam vassociated with the anchor member,l andy `rotatablewith respect 1 thereto; in 1. a plane longitudinal of the legs Tand .transverse of their; plane, said cam'being adapted upon rotation to enter between the, legs of theanchor,

moving them apart into spaced anchoring 'posi-.J

2. A4 fastener comprisingin 'combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise inA an opening which' extends rinwardly from an outer face of a plate or the like,- and an Vanchor moving cam. rotatably mounted on the head of the rrU-shaped anchor 'Y member, said cam being adapted upon rotation to enter between the 1egsof the anchor, moving vthem apart inta-.spaced anchoring position.l

3. A fastener comprising in combination Van anchorv member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs arey adapted -to -be inserted -endwise in an opening which extends inwardly froman outer face o f a plate or the like, andan anchor moving cam rotatably mounted on the head of the U-shaped anchor member, said cam being adapted upon rotationA to enter between the legs of the anchor, moving them apart into spaced` anchoring position, the -cam surface having a depression adapted to receive alegof the anchor and restrain the said rotation.

4. A fastener comprising in combination: an 1 anchor member substantially of elongate U-shapeA whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening which extends inwardly from -'an outer face of a plate or the like, said anchor member having anchoring formationsV at :the inner inserted endsof its legs,;andan anchor moving wedge, associated with @the llegconnecting head of the U-shaped anchor -InemberysaidfA wedgeextending between the anchor-legs and having wedging formations which, upon movementl of the wedgebetweenthe legs, spread-the legs to move theiranchoring formations linto engagement with the edges-of the opening and alsoexert pressure againstthehead formation and-the plateto exert longitudinal :tension-fon,A

the legs. i

5. A fastener as dened'in claim 4, andfalso 1 including -a resiliently compressible plate a surrounding the legs,A adapted to bear on the ,outer` faceof the plate and-against'whichthercam exerts its pressure.

6. A fastener as dened in claim4, andffi'n whichv the leg connectingl headA of the yanchor member.v is formed for resilient displacement-in s a direction longitudinabof thelegsf-p;

7. A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening which extends inwardly from an outer face of a plate or the like, said anchor member having anchoring formations at the inner inserted ends of its legs, and an anchor moving cam rotatably mounted on the leg-connecting head of the U-shaped anchor member, said cam being adapted upon rotation to enter between the legs and to move said anchoring formations upon the legs of the anchor into spaced anchoring position with relation to the edges of the opening and also to exert pressure against the outer face of the plate and thereby7 to exert longitudinal tension on the legs.

8. A fastener as defined in claim 4, and also including a resiliently compressible plate surrounding the legs, adapted to bear on the outer face of the plate and against which the cam exerts its pressure.

9. A fastener as defined in claim 4, and in which the leg connecting head of the anchor member is formed for resilient displacement in a direction longitudinal of the legs.

10. A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening which extends inwardly from an outer face of a plate or the like, said anchor member having anchoring formations at the inner inserted ends of its legs adapted to engage the edges of the opening at the opposite face of the plate, and an anchor moving cam directly rotatably mounted on the leg-connecting portion of the U-shaped anchor and adapted to rotate in a plane which is parallel to the length of the anchor at right angles to the plane of the U-formation, said cam having a peripheral cam face which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cam and adapted by pressure on the plate to exert longitudinal tension on the legs.

1l. A fastener as defined in claim 10, and also including a resiliently compressible plate surrounding the legs, adapted to bear on the outer face of the plate and against which the cam exerts its pressure.

12. A fastener as defined in claim 10, and in which the leg connecting portion of the anchor member is formed for resilient displacement in a direction longitudinal of the legs.

13. A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are resiliently joined together, are

adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening in a plate or the like, and have anchoring formations at their inner inserted ends, and an anchor moving cam mounted for eccentric rotation about the leg connecting portion of the anchor in a plane which is parallel to the length of the anchor and at right angles to the plane of the U-formation, said cam being adapted upon rotation to move the anchor legs apart to move their anchoring formations into engagement with the edges of the opening and to exert pressure against the outer face of the plate, thereby exert ing longitudinal tension on the legs.

14. A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening which extends inwardly from an outer face of a plate or the like, said anchor member having anchoring formations at the inner inserted ends of its legs adapted to engage the edges of the opening at the opposite face of the plate, the leg connecting head of the U-shaped anchor being formed for resilient displacement in a direction longitudinal of the legs, and an anchor moving wedge associated with the leg connecting head of the U-shaped anchor member, said wedge extending :between the anchor legs and having wedging formations which, upon movement of the wedge between the legs, exert pressure against the head formation and the plate to exert longitudinal tension on the legs.

15. A fastener comprising in combination an anchor member substantially of elongate U-shape whose legs are adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening which extends inwardly from an outer face of a plate or the like, said anchor member having anchoring formations at the inner inserted ends of its legs, adapted to engage the edges of the opening at the opposite face of the plate, the leg connecting head of the U-shaped anchor being formed for resilient displacement in a direction longitudinal of the legs, and an anchor moving wedge associated with and bearing on the resilient head formation and adapted, by movement in a direction along the face of the plate, to move the head formation outwardly with reference to the plate and exert longitudinal tension on the legs.

LAWRENCE E. CARSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Vinson Sept. 5, 1944 Number Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,514,692 July 11, 1950 LAWRENCE E. CARSON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, lines 17 and 22, for the claim reference numeral read 7;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofce.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommzsszoner of Patents. 

